summicron 50

<p>Is the older summicron 50 f/2 non ASPH lens still manufactured?</p>

<p>Don't know, but there's one in stock apparently here for £1640:<br>

http://www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk/collections/m-lenses</p>

 

<p>Both certainly appear on Leica's website. With the APO-APSH over three times the price of the non-ASPH, that makes a lot of sense.</p>

<p>It's certainly available just about anywhere new that sells Leica equipment, making it hard to believe that it's not still being produced. I don't believe there is any way they would leave the APO 50mm f2 ASPH as the only 50mm f2 option. It's just too expensive as one of the basics of the system.</p>

<p>It is still in production with essentially the same formula of 1979 (by Walter Mandler, head of optics, Leitz Canada). One of the finest 50mm f2 optics then and even now, with a well balanced image wide open or closed down. At 2200$ US new one can find mint used examples at lower prices. it is a lens that once you sell it you then wonder why, and look for a same replacement.</p>

<p>Arthur;<br>

That's exactly what happened -- I sold my non asph f2 50mm (and got a different 50 which shall remain nameless -- but not the asph summicron) and now wonder why I did that and am looking for a same replacement. </p>

<p>I have a Zeiss 50 Planar that I love, nice and light, super sharp and great flare free color. Earlier this year I rented both the regular Summicron and the Apo Summicron to see how they would fare against my Zeiss. Aside from things like the zeiss being more like a 46mm lens and having more contrast, neither the regular Summicron or the asph really pulled me in their directions to "upgrade".<br /> <br /> The bokeh was a bit nicer on both the Leica lenses but I just did not see mind blowing better photos out of either of them when it came right down to it. I think the Summicrons did have a bit more of a balanced look but if I went for one ( and boy are they cheap right now ) I would just go for the regular Summicron. For the extra weight, size and dramatic extra expense of the 50 Apo, I think I would just another 50 1.4 Asph again, a lens I have had three versions of and think is stellar. I only replaced my very heavy silver one with the Zeiss because the front section started coming off the darn thing.<br>

<br /> And just so one does not think I am anti-Leica glass, I do own a 28mm Elmarit Asph, 35mm Summicron version 4 & 35mm 1.4 Asph FLE. <br /> <br /> Either way, it is a buyer's market out there in Leica land so do it up!</p>

<p>The manual operation 50mm Zeiss Planar E mount manual for the Sony Alpha7tRII makes me forget the desire to re-acquire my once 50mm Summicron. I probably could not detect the difference between the two when used to maximize their scope of reproduction, but either seems to me to be as good as I need for well detailed large prints (the aesthetics of which I gladly spend more time working on). </p>

<p>I've owned and used every 50mm Summicron model that Leica has made except the current ASPH. I find almost nothing to choose between them, except each has it's own ergonomics.<br>

Perhaps, the sharpest of all is the DR model, but not worth the premium price since our loss of Kodachrome.<br>

I'm quite content using my oldest collapsible lens with M adapter if not shooting a Barnack camera.<br>

IMO, any lens in any focal length of any speed that is labeled "Summicron" is gonna be a great lens</p>

<p>I have owned two Rigid Summicrons for a while, and recently I added a DR Summicron. While the regular Rigid Summicron is a wonderful lens, the DR is "extra sharp". </p>